“Steamtrain, ripping down the highway… old flame, won’t you see it my way…” croons Sam Webb, accompanied by an intricate and intimate acoustic guitar as he opens Steamtrain with a high emotional quotient and captivating resonance.
The opus expands with a reverberating bassline, detailed percussion and electric guitar riffs as Sam continues his philosophical and introspective thoughts. The composition builds with drums, luscious vocal harmonies and an astral synth line that further adds to the cinematic allure and drama of the track.
Before we know it, the track is over, like a short but sweet dose of reflection, or a train ride that goes quickly, in essence, leaving us yearning for more. Sam reminds us of early Bob Dylan, vocally and sonically, which we learn is no surprise as he confesses, “The lyrical works of Bob Dylan helped to inspire this work in its metaphorical nature and societal critique.”
As for the wider message, Sam says, “The story veers through different metaphorical examples of the impact of trends. This was the inspiration for the song. How people can be fickle in their values and swayed by how others think. The strong imagery of a Steamtrain allowed me this idea of a fast travelling, inevitable entity and how trends are inevitable and warp people’s perspective. As it navigates through different observations, it seems futile to fight the inevitability of trend.”
We learn that Steamtrain began as a simple acoustic tune written by the Brighton-based artist, who eventually built on the production through working with producer Alican Hitit. It was recorded in Camden. We appreciate how the track taps into an important and zeitgeist message that explores the impact of trends and societal conformity, using the image of a fast, unstoppable train as a metaphor for inevitability and shifting values.
Naturally, we are in awe, and have added Steamtrain to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we anticipate future releases from Sam Webb, and his upcoming performance at Crowns in central Brighton on 5th November, followed by a tour of the acoustic circuit in the area!
Sam leaves us with some food for thought with the quote, “I have been spending so much time thinking about tomorrow and what it has in store but maybe I should take the chance to dwell on what I have already found.”